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FROM AUSTRALIA - NEWS IN BRIEF

PM congratulates US, China on partial deal

Morrison to spruik military ties with Fiji

Australia has 'deep concerns' about Syria

Thousands flee, dozens dead in Syria

Aussie troops set for Golan UN mission

Dutton seeks frank conversation on China

Property upswing set to hit Sydney renters

Hundreds of farmers kicked off drought support

Statement on Northern NSW Fires

Energy minister goes against own adviser

Australia and Solomon Islands step up infrastructure cooperation

2019 A Great Year for Clean Beaches

Abbott 'would consider' return to politics




PM congratulates US, China on partial deal

13/10/2019

(Translation appears in Arabic Section)

Sydney - Fiji- M E Times Int'l: Prime Minister Scott Morrison has congratulated the US and China in what appears to be a breakthrough in the long running trade war between the two countries.

"We welcome what has been somewhat of a breakthrough," Mr Morrison told reporters in Suva on Saturday during his whistlestop visit to Fiji.

"I have been encouraging both the United States and China to, you know, get on and get this done."

The US and China have agreed to the first phase of a trade deal covering agricultural purchases, currency and some aspects of intellectual property protections.

The US has also agreed not to proceed with around $250 billion in tariffs on Chinese goods that were supposed to have come into effect on Tuesday.

Morrison to spruik military ties with Fiji

Prime Minister Scott Morrison is set to visit a Fijian military base where he will spruik strong ties with the nation.

"We are living in a world of transition where a shifting of power dynamics is taking place," Mr Morrison said ahead of his Saturday tour of the Blackrock site near Nadi in Fiji.

"Which means our friendship and partnership with countries like Fiji, in our own backyard, is even more important."

Australia is helping to redevelop the site for an undisclosed amount, while the camp is expected to inject $27 million to the Fijian economy and create more than 500 jobs.

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Dutton seeks frank conversation on China

Peter Dutton wants to have a frank conversation about China's Communist Party and how its values are inconsistent with Australia's.

The Home Affairs minister says Australia has the right to call out people or nations who are operating outside the law.

He had no beef with the "amazing Chinese diaspora" living in Australia.

"We have a very important trading relationship with China, incredibly important, but we're not going to allow university students to be unduly influenced, we're not going to allow theft of intellectual property and we're not going to allow our government bodies or non-government bodies to be hacked into."

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Australia has 'deep concerns' about Syria

Canberra: Australia is worried Turkey's military incursion into Syria will lead to the resurgence of Islamic State.

Turkey has begun its attack on northeastern Syria, launching a large scale air strike and ground offensive against Kurdish targets in the region.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has been in direct contact with the Turkish and United States governments overnight and on Thursday morning to express his "deep concern" about the actions.

Asked whether military strikes against the Kurds could ultimately lead to Islamic State retaking territory it was driven from seven months ago, he said that was exactly the concern.

"And that is a concern that has been expressed by Australia and by many others," he told reporters in Sydney.

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Thousands flee, dozens dead in Syria

Turkey has pounded Kurdish militia in northeast Syria for a second day, forcing tens of thousands of people to flee and killing dozens, in a cross-border assault on US allies that has turned the Washington establishment against US President Donald Trump.

Thursday's offensive against the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) led by Kurdish YPG militia, which began days after Trump pulled US troops out of the way and following a phone call with Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, opens one of the biggest new fronts in years in an eight-year-old civil war that has drawn in global powers.

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Aussie troops set for Golan UN mission

Australian and Fijian soldiers are being deployed to a disputed region between Syria and Israel on a United Nations peace-keeping mission.

They are awaiting final UN approval before travelling to the disputed territory of Golan Heights.

A Defence spokeswoman has confirmed it has nothing to do with the United States' recent withdrawal from north-eastern Syria, on the other side of the country.

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Property upswing set to hit Sydney renters

Renters in Sydney should soon feel momentum shift back to landlords as the property market recovery continues apace and fewer properties become available to lease.

The median weekly rent for a house in Sydney fell by 0.9 per cent to $525 during the September quarter, while median rent for a unit fell by 1.0 per cent to $520, according to the latest rental report by property advertiser Domain.

However, vacancy rates also dropped, signalling that rent could be close to bottoming out as sale prices rebound.

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Hundreds of farmers kicked off drought support

A decision to kick hundreds of drought-stricken farmers off a government assistance program is being described as a cruel act of bastardry. At least 200 farmers have reportedly stopped receiving payments in the past two years after reaching the four-year limit. Under the allowance, more than 1,300 households are given $489 a fortnight.

Agriculture Minister Bridget McKenzie has defended the limit and argued it has already been extended and the rules relaxed.

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Statement on Northern NSW Fires

NSW Labor Leader Jodi McKay has expressed her sympathies and concern for residents in Northern NSW being affected by fires.

Speaking in Tweed Heads today, she paid tribute to firefighters, volunteers and other first responders. She noted that Lismore MP Janelle Saffin was working in close contact with affected communities.

“Thee people of Northern NSW have been dealing with fires for many weeks. These in some cases have now taken a significant turn for the worse,” Ms McKay said.

“The reports coming in are distressing. There are people who have lost everything.”

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Energy minister goes against own adviser

The Morrison government wants coal and gas power plants across the country to keep running unless there is a compelling plan for like-for-like replacement.

This puts it at odds with its own top energy adviser, who says extending the life of coal-fired power stations is ill-advised.

Energy Minister Angus Taylor says the industry has to make the most of what it has and not get overly excited about "fashionable acronyms" - naming the ill-fated CET, NEG, CPRS and ETS policies.

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Australia and Solomon Islands step up infrastructure cooperation

Australia and Solomon Islands share an enduring and close friendship – a relationship founded on a common history and strengthened by our collaborative development and security efforts in the Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands. 

As part of this relationship, and Australia’s broader Step-up in the Pacific, we are working together closely to promote economic development and stability across Solomon Islands. 

 Image result for 2019 A Great Year for Clean Beaches

2019 A Great Year for Clean Beaches

Environment Minister Matt Kean was pleased to release the annual State of the Beaches report which has returned great results for beaches across the NSW.

Minister Kean said 2019 is one of the cleanest years of recreational water quality on record since monitoring began in 1989.

“Clean beaches are great news for the community and encourage more people to get out and about as we head into the start of the swimming season,” Mr Kean said.

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Abbott 'would consider' return to politics

Tony Abbott says it was Malcolm Turnbull's ambition and not a divided government that led to him being ousted as prime minister, as he revealed he would consider a return to parliament.

"It wasn't that we had a divided government, it was more that there was one person who was determined to get to the top by hook or by crook," Mr Abbott told The Australian.

"If the Liberal Party ever wanted me to do that, I would be more than happy to consider it, but I find it difficult to imagine the circumstances that they would want me," he said.

"I'm not ruling it out but I'm not expecting it to happen."


 














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